2011 Swedish Steel Prize Finalists

The winner of the 2011 Swedish Steel Prize will be announced on November 17. Four finalists have been nominated for the prize for the best design in high strength steel. The jury has selected innovations for agriculture and occupational safety, along with an arena construction project.

The Swedish Steel Prize is awarded for innovative designs in high-strength steel. The aim is to inspire, encourage, and disseminate knowledge about high strength steel and the possibilities for developing lighter, safer, and more environmentally friendly products. A record number of applications from some twenty countries were submitted this year, showing that the prize has gained a strong international foothold and that interest in high strength steel continues to grow.

Deere & Company (USA) - Harvester

By using Advanced High Strength Steel combined with skilled and innovative design, Deere & Company has considerably improved the harvesting productivity and fulfilled new environmental requirements of their Harvester for crop and grain. The harvester weight is reduced, the header width is increased and the new draper is more flexible and follows uneven grounds thus improving yield better than conventional solutions.

HT Engineering Ltd (New Zealand) – Cab Protection on Excavator

Excavator operators must be protected from impact of the handled material, such as logs, boulders or heavy metal pieces. By innovative use of Advanced High Strength Steel, HT Engineering has improved impact strength and visibility in the new design of a protection grid for the operator’s cab. In addition both the weight and the risk of permanent grid deformation are significantly reduced. This was obtained by utilizing thinner sheet metal protection bars with adapted orientation.

Rotary-Ax (Brazil) – Knife for sugarcane harvester

Rotary-Ax has invented a novel cutting tool giving higher productivity in sugar cane harvesting. The idea of segmented blades, where the dull part can be broken off the remaining blade, is combined with the high wear resistance and strength of Advanced High Strength Steel. Blade handling is easy and quick with this design. Furthermore the re-growth of the sugar canes is improved since the knives are sharp and cut at an oblique angle.

Sweco Structure (Sweden) – Swedbank Arena

The light impression of the main framework is the hallmark of Swedbank Arena. This was made possible by fully taking advantage of the properties of Advanced High Strength Steel and a successful cooperation between the architect and structural designers at Sweco Structure. A thin light-weight roof design is required to give maximum day-light for such a large span, 162 m. The Steel grades used, with yield strengths of 460, 690 and 900 MPa, are much more advanced than ordinary steels in conventional building constructions.

The prize will be awarded on November 17 at Münchenbryggeriet in Stockholm. The winner will receive a grant of SEK 100,000 and a statuette designed by artist Jörg Jeschke. The award ceremony is the culmination of a two-day event in Sweden where hundreds of international representatives from manufacturing and industry will participate in site visits and seminars. SSAB instituted the Swedish Steel Prize in 1999.